Easter Reflection
by Georgette Lehmuth, OSF
During Lent I read A Time of Grace and Peace: Daily Reflections, Actions and Prayers, written by Alice Camille (Twenty-Third Publications 2026). On the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, Ms. Camille’s reflection is titled: Hearing or Listening? The action she recommends is “At Mass, seek one shiny sentence, idea, image, hymn lyric. Take it home with you” and pray “let it open the ears of my heart.”
Knowing that I would be writing this reflection for the Alliance to End Human Trafficking, I sought passages that opened the ears of my heart more fully to our AEHT Mission. I share these shiny moments with you in this Easter Season.
Ash Wednesday: The Gathering Hymn, Ashes by Tom Conry, OCP 1978.
“We rise again from ashes to create ourselves anew…
Let healing come to pain. Give our stumblings direction. Give our vision wider view…
to create a world anew from an offering of ashes, an offering to you.”
First Sunday of Lent: Responsorial: Psalm 51
“Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me…”
Second Sunday of Lent: Reflection Hymn, What Wondrous Love Is This, Anonymous, OCP
“What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul..
To God and to the Lamb, who is the great I AM, while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing, I will sing.”
Third Sunday of Lent: Second Reading: Letter to Romans 5:5
“Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts.”
Fourth Sunday of Lent: First Reading: First Book of Samuel: 16:7
“Not as humans see does God see, because humans see the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.”
Fifth Sunday of Lent: First Reading: Ezekiel 37:12
“O my people, I will put my spirit in you that you may live. I have promised and I will do it, says the Lord.”
Feast of the Annunciation (March 25): Gospel according to Mark 1:30
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
Palm Sunday: Gospel according to Matthew 26:40
“So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?”
Holy Thursday: Communion Song: One Bread, One Body, John Michael Talbot, 1997
“One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, throughout the earth, we are one body in this one Lord.”
Good Friday: Final Prayer of the Service
“May pardon come, comfort be given, and faith increase…”
Holy Saturday, Vigil of Easter: Book of Prophet Isaiah: 54:10
“Though the mountains leave their place and hills be shaken, my love shall never leave you, says the Lord.”
“Christ has shed his peaceful light on all humanity.” Easter Vigil Exultet
Easter Sunday: The Gospel According to John: 20: 15-16
Jesus said to Mary Magdalen: “Woman why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Mary didn’t recognize him, thinking he was a gardener. And then He said: “Mary!”
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!